1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for preparing digital prints and a device for preparing digital prints, and in particular, to a method for preparing digital prints and a device for preparing digital prints which prepare digital prints by using images recorded on photographic films.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, index prints have been proposed as one type of digital print. Respective frames are printed on the index print in a matrix-like arrangement so that it can be easily determined what photographs were taken on one roll of developed film. A liquid crystal panel is used as an image display means at an index printer which can prepare such index prints. The plurality of image frames recorded on the photographic film are displayed at one time on the display surface of the liquid crystal panel, and simultaneously are printed onto a photographic printing paper as images which are smaller than normal prints.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram which summarily illustrates an example of the structure of an index printer using a conventional liquid crystal panel. Hereinafter, operation of an index printer using a conventional liquid crystal panel will be summarily described with reference to FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, image data of a photographic film for which an index print is to be prepared is stored in advance in an image memory 106.
For the image data of the photographic film for which an index print is to be prepared which image data is stored in the image memory 106, a look-up table 25A is converted into driving data for driving a liquid crystal panel 31 which serves as an output device. The conversion method is set in advance under the assumption that a standard liquid crystal panel and light source are used. At a secondary control section 23A, the liquid crystal panel 31 is driven, via a liquid crystal panel driver 32, by using liquid crystal panel driving data prepared by the look-up table 25A. The transmitted light amount of each pixel of the liquid crystal panel 31 is adjusted in accordance with the driving data so as to display the image. Due to the above operations, after an image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 31, a light source 26 emits light so that the liquid crystal panel 31 is illuminated. The light transmitted through the liquid crystal panel 31 is collected by an exposure lens 35 and is imaged on a photographic printing paper 54 so as to form a print. The light transmitted through the liquid crystal panel 31 is parallel light.
The look-up table 25A used at this time is set on the basis of a standard characteristic of the liquid crystal panel and the exposure light source. Therefore, the look-up table 25A does not correspond to individual variations in liquid crystal panels or exposure light sources which variations arise due to production. As a result, it is not always the case that optimal liquid crystal panel driving data can be prepared.